Director of Spiritual Life

Liza Neal is the Director of Spiritual Life at Hampshire College. She is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ

Liza grew up in San Diego, walking in wide open spaces, swimming and writing at the beach, and dancing at an arts school. She came east to study at Hampshire College. Her Div III, a critical analysis of the interpretation of Mary Magdalene from the Bible through history in art, literature, film, and feminist interpretations, finished with her own interpretation through creative writing and dance of how that very physical story expresses the ideas of sin and redemption, abuse and healing.

Liza explored other faiths and ideas while she was at Hampshire and afterwards. She worked with developmentally disabled adults, teenagers, and survivors of sexual violence. In her pursuit of healing the mind, body, and spirit, she went to Yale Divinity School where she got her MDiv. In her theological studies, she explored Christian history, mysticism, the theology of reconciliation, and what it means to be called to create heterogenous community. She joined the United Church of Christ and was ordained in 2006.

Liza began working at Hampshire during the first year of the spiritual life program and loves it passionately. She is also the minister at the Village Congregational Church in Cummington.